One of Niagara’s premier attractions says they’ve been using a closure during the coronavirus pandemic to upgrade a renowned shingle roof.
Canada’s version of Great Wolf Lodge boasts a 22,500-square-metre (250,000 square feet) roof, which they say is the ‘largest’ shingled roof in Canada.
The upgrade project involves a metal roof that is 100 per cent recyclable at the end of its life and contains between 25-95 per cent recycled content prior to application by roof designers Boral Canada Ltd.
Keith Simmonds, vice-president and general manager of the Victoria Avenue property in Niagara Falls, says the roof is roughly the equivalent of 15 NHL hockey rinks in surface area and was first shingled 15 years ago during original construction.
Simmonds admits the pandemic has eliminated a number of problems for the lodge, which was due for a renovation during what would have been the peak tourism season for the franchise.
“Prior to the pandemic shutdown, our operational teams were focused on how to juggle a full occupancy resort with a major construction project,” said Simmonds in a release.
“The pandemic certainly eliminated that challenge and we no longer have to be concerned with negative guest impacts.”
Kevin Martin from Boral says the new metal being applied over top of the existing shingles eliminates a significant amount of waste that would have been produced should the lodge have opted for a traditional roof replacement.
“By installing a metal roof Great Wolf Lodge is eliminating approximately 540,000 lbs (243,000 kilograms) of asphalt shingles, nails, underlayments, and other roofing-related materials from being sent to a landfill,” said Martin.
Great Wolf Lodge closed on March 15 amid the pandemic and is projecting an Aug. 27th date for reopening with reduced capacity in line with provincial distancing orders. The lodge is hoping to reopen its waterpark when Ontario gives the green light to stage three.
Simmonds expects the roofing project to be completed sometime in late October.